Effervescent
by SwissChocolate17
Summary: If he can describe his life it would be happy. No, everything wasn't perfect. But it was better than when everything came crashing down. He had his friends and his mother wasn't estranged from him anymore. But there was something missing. He didn't think she'd be the one to fit the equation. She'd been gone so long he thought he could fool himself that he moved on. He was wrong.


The breeze felt stronger now that the sun had begun its descend. Cha Eun Sang arrived in the convenience store where she found Choi Young-do. She wanted to talk to him before her flight to the United States. No matter what had transpired between them throughout the mess she's been put in since she got tangled in Kim Tan's life, she wanted to say a proper goodbye to him because he was special to her. She wasn't about to tell anyone where she was going or that she was going away for good for that matter. She wanted to keep everything to herself.

Young-do, on the other hand knew something was off with her. Looking up from his ramen, he saw her taking a seat across him. He regards her with all seriousness. His sarcasm and playful nature gone because he knows just by looking at her that she intends to disappear without a trace.

"It seems I was right." he scoffed. His remark taking a big hit on the armor of confidence she tried to put up since walking there from Tan's house. It took all her concentration not to give away anything so easily.

"You were made to be the first to kneel. The chairman is ruthless, as I've already told you countless times. He will not spare you and you are his weakness. Kim Tan can't protect you now." there were no ill intentions in the way he said it. The slight tremor in his voice betrayed his worry for her. He doesn't even make an attempt to deny it. Even though he knows fully well that she has already given her whole heart to his rival, he will do everything in his power to keep her safe. He didn't care if it was Jeguk Group who's going to be the monster he has to slay. He can't be her king but he is, ever since he acknowledged that she is his first love, her knight in shining armor.

Eun Sang tries to smile but fails and grimaces instead. She had to give credit that he paid more attention to her than any other person. It even surprised her that he was more observant than Tan.

"Yah, you've figured me out. How come it is always you who notices these things?" she fidgeted now and tried to look at anything but the boy in front of her.

"That's because I _see_ you." he simply says. The statement clearly filled with all the unspoken feelings of his heart.

He wasn't good at this but she refused to look at him, which only strengthened his resolve. His eyes never leaving her face almost as if he was doing his best to engrave all her features in his mind to gain confidence before he went with his spontaneous proposition. His heart overpowering even his sane mind to make him think he's on the verge of insanity that's how much of an effect Cha Eun Sang was capable of.

"Cha Eun Sang," his voice was now commanding once more that she looks at him.

"Oh?" she whispers as if she were afraid he'll make her stay and defend Kim Tan by saying he must have a plan to keep her safe or if not they'll both keep her safe. But she has made up her mind that she had enough. She wanted her old life back even if it meant sacrificing all the people that started to mean the world to her, especially Kim Tan.

"Let me come with you, Cha Eun-sang." he exclaims with one breath. In one sentence, he conveyed all his feelings for her. He couldn't stand being left behind. Not again. Not if he can help it. He knew it was futile to plead for her to stay. It didn't even matter if it meant she was going to be running away with Kim Tan so long as he knew he had the capacity to protect from the forces that hinder her happiness and safety.

Eun Sang, on the other hand was at a loss for words. She stared dumbfounded at him. She didn't expect this from Choi Young-do. Now, she started to see clearly the theory that was always hanging around Young-do whenever she saw him. He wasn't a bad guy. He was a good guy who just had trouble understanding his feelings. He became a friend she treasured and that was it because she knows there will only be one guy in her heart.

"You can't. You belong here. I am the outsider." she exclaimed once she found her voice. He moves to reach out for her hand on the table in an attempt to buy more time to convince her. She stood up. He was a second too late.

"Good bye, Choi Young-do."

She never looked back after waking away. Never saw the tears streaming down his face. Not even the clenched fist that dug his nails onto his palm too hard blood appeared.

* * *

She was gone. She left behind a lot of questions to everyone in Jeguk High. Not even Yoon Chan Young got a proper goodbye. No one dared to question him. The only person who took it worse than he had was Kim Tan.

At least he was given a proper goodbye. Tan was just too trusting when it came to her holding on. She had too much to lose and Tan had refused to acknowledge that fact. As much as he wanted nothing to do with Kim Tan anymore, he can relate to the pain he felt. He rationalized that he was helping Tan for Eun Sang and not because he was doing it out of pity for his old best friend. He deserved more than just his pity because he fought too hard but still lost everything in the end.

* * *

Five years had passed since Eun Sang had disappeared; Tan and him became friends since they graduated high school and university together. The gang was also tighter than ever more so than when they were kids. They have accepted Chan Young in the group since Bo Na was hardly without him or Ye Sol. Yoo Rachel had started a relationship with Hyo Shin after he served his time at the army and started university as a film major. They were now on the path towards their respective crowns so close to their goal. But there was a question he never got to answer, _why does it seem like something is missing_?


End file.
